PrEP: Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis to prevent HIV

Our PrEP clinic offers a once daily pill that can provide a high level of protection for people who do not have HIV but are at substantial risk of becoming infected. The pill is a combination fo two HIV medicines (tenofovir and emtricitabine) sold under the name Truvada®.

Studies have shown that when taken every day as prescribed, PrEP can reduce a person’s risk of getting HIV from a sexual partner by over 90% and from a drug-injection-using partner who is positive by 70%. No method offers 100% protection but PrEP can be combined with other prevention strategies like the ones listed below to reduce the risk of HIV infection even further.

Is PrEP Right for Me?

Services Offered

Help with eligibility for medication

Labs pertaining to dispensing PrEP

Prescription for Truvada

Care Schedule

Initial Visit and 30-day follow-up; Appointments every 3 months at CHA for lab tests & Rx refills.If you prefer, we are happy to work with your primary care provider or Infectious Disease doctor to find a plan of care that works for you and your health needs.

Appointments and Hours of Operation

704-920-1205

to schedule an appointment or request pricing information.

Eligibility and Payment Options

These services are open to anyone and not restricted to residents of Cabarrus County.

Assistance programs are available for insured and uninsured individuals, our staff will gladly help you apply for the correct program. Staff at CHA will file an insurance claim on your behalf but please check with your insurance provider to see if Truvada is covered.

Who is at risk for HIV?

Certain behaviors can put you at risk for HIV. Although the risk factors for HIV are the same for everyone, some groups are more affected than others, for a variety of possible reasons. Learn more at AIDS.gov

Use Lube. Use water-based or silicone-based lubricant to prevent small tears during sex that make it easier for the HIV virus to enter your body.

Choose Kinds of Sex With Less Risk. Sexual activities carry different levels of risk for getting or transmitting HIV. HIV is mainly spread by having anal or vaginal sex without a condom or without taking medicines to prevent HIV. Anal sex is the riskiest type of sex for HIV transmission. It's possible for either partner - the insertive partner (top) or the receptive partner (bottom) to get HIV, but it is much riskier for an HIV-negative partner to be the receptive partner. Vaginal sex also carries a risk for HIV transmission, but it is less risky than anal sex. Oral sex poses little to no risk of getting or transmitting HIV. Understanding Risk

Reduce the Number of People You Have Sex With. The number of sex partners you have affects your HIV risk. The more partners you have, the more likely you are to have a partner with HIV whose viral load is not suppressed or to have a sex partner with a sexually transmits disease Both of these factors can increase the risk of HIV transmission.

Avoid Alcohol and Drugs When You Have Sex. Drinking or getting high when you have sex can make it hard to remember to use condoms.

Use Clean Syringes. If you inject drugs, and are not ready to stop, use a new, clean syringe every time.

Get Tested. It's the only way to know if you or a partner has HIV or other sexually transmitted infections. STIs can make it easier to get or spread HIV and can have long-term health consequences. Ask your sex partners about the last time they got tested. To be sure, get tested together. These services are available at Cabarrus Health Alliance.

Support Your Partners Living With HIV. If your partner is living with HIV, encourage him or her to get HIV care and take his or her ART medications every day. This will help your partner stay healthy and reduce his or her chance of passing HIV to you.

Know About Emergency PEP. If you are not on PrEP and think you were recently exposed to HIV during sex, through sharing needles or works, or if you have been sexually assaulted, go immediately to your doctor, an emergency room, or urgent care clinic and ask for PEP. Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) involves taking antiretroviral medications as soon as possible (must be within 72 hours) after a high-risk event to stop HIV infection in your body.

CHA is seeking community feedback about the addition of the PrEP Clinic to their services. Comments and suggestions are welcome through our online survey. This information will be used to gauge community knowledge/attitudes about PrEP and to structure appointment availability to ensure that PrEP is accessible to those who need it. If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact the Cabarrus Health Alliance Communicable Disease Department at 704-920-1372.